


May I Have This Dance?

by NoirRosaleen



Series: Numbers Meme! [4]
Category: Bones (TV), Firefly
Genre: Ballroom Dancing, Gen, It's For a Case, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Request Meme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-22
Updated: 2012-09-22
Packaged: 2017-12-09 22:40:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/778785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoirRosaleen/pseuds/NoirRosaleen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoe and Bones dance a tango.</p>
            </blockquote>





	May I Have This Dance?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [archea2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/archea2/gifts).



> Archea2 prompted me with "1 and 15 dance a tango together. Why and what are the consequences?"

“If this job is going to go off as planned, we need to fit in here, sir,” Zoe Washburne muttered to Malcolm Reynolds.

“Well, I'll go find our man, you find someone to dance with,” he said, and moved off. Zoe watched him go and sighed. Given the number of eyes following him, Mal clearly underestimated how tight his tuxedo pants fit him. There was going to be trouble, getting him out of here without a crowd of drooling men following. _Welcome to the world of the male gaze, Captain._

Looking around the floor, Zoe tried to find someone who would be easier for her to shake off when they had to leave. A tall, dark-haired woman with an intelligent face and a dark blue dress caught her eye. To Zoe's eye, she looked not entirely comfortable in the dress, although it could be the setting. Walking up, she held out her hand. “Care for a dance?”

“I, uh,” the woman replied. The band struck up a tango. Her face cleared, and she smiled. “Yes, I can tango.”

Zoe swept the other woman onto the floor. They made a pretty pair, in shimmering sapphire and velvety garnet, both skirting six feet in their heels, and many hungry eyes followed them. “I'm Hope,” Zoe said, smiling at her partner.

“Julie,” replied the other woman, smiling back. Zoe didn't believe it for a minute. Definitely not comfortable in the setting, then...although there could be another reason for a pseudonym. “Julie” followed very well, and Zoe relaxed a little as they moved across the floor.

“Are you looking for a partner?” “Julie” asked, as Zoe dipped her gracefully and swung her back up into a clinch.

“Not necessarily,” Zoe said, her lips quirking. Wash had had a fit when he'd heard where the contact was supposed to be made, first boggling, then alternating between warning her not to find “some young minx to run off with” and demanding she tell him everything in detail when she got back, with a gleam in his eye that meant he was getting ideas. She'd laughed at him and kissed him soundly, whispering in his ear a few ideas for their bunk when she got back. Fantasies never hurt anyone, and if he got a charge out of thinking of her with some pretty young thing, well...she could take advantage of it later.

“So a fling, then.” “Julie” raised her eyebrows expectantly.

Zoe huffed a laugh through her nose, guiding “Julie” through the other couples dancing nearby. “I'm mostly here as support for my...friend,” she said, pointing with her chin at Mal, who was deep in conversation with an attractive-looking older man. “But I do like to dance, and leading is easier in heels.”

“Julie” laughed. “Been awhile since you tangoed?”

“Ages,” Zoe agreed, and spun “Julie”, who was rather more adroit on her heels. They stepped quickly, “Julie” twisting expertly and kicking her feet up as Zoe led her gracefully around the floor. As the music swelled, they moved faster, ending in a quick lean, with “Julie” pressed up against Zoe.

Straightening, they grinned at each other, and Zoe offered her one lean-muscled arm to escort her back to where they'd started. “Quite the gentlewoman!” “Julie” beamed, taking her arm.

“I do try,” said Zoe. They strolled over to “Julie's” original spot.

A dark-haired, boyish man in a tux squirmed through the crowd over to them. “Hey! Bones! I got something over -” He fell silent at the sight of Zoe in her slinky garnet dress. “Wow. Hi. Should I leave you girls alone?”

“No, it's all right, I'm just leaving,” Zoe said, flashing a grin at him. “Lovely to meet you...Julie.”

“It's been a pleasure,” Bones replied. “I hope your friend gets what he came for.”

“Oh, he better,” Zoe grimaced. “If I have to beat off a horde of hormone-riddled men to get him out of here and he didn't, there will be words, and not the pleasant kind.” All three laughed.

~~~~~

Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth watched “Hope” walk away, the garnet velvet clinging just right. “Wow,” Booth said again. “That's quite a woman.”

“I know, she's very attractive. An excellent dancer, too.” Temperance looked at Booth, who was having a hard time tearing his eyes away from the gorgeous brunette. “I don't think she's only here for the dancing, though.”

Finally unglueing his eyes from the swaying hips, Booth refocused on Temperance. “You think she's tied into the case?”

“No, but I think her name was as real as mine. And her friend certainly doesn't appear to be looking for a date,” Temperance said, indicating the tall man in the tight tuxedo pants talking animatedly to an older gentleman. It did not appear to be flirtation.

“Well, whatever they're doing, it's not our problem.” Booth grinned at Temperance. “You sure you don't want to go get her number, Bones?”

“What for?” Temperance looked nonplussed. Booth just grinned harder. “Oh! You think I should have sex with her. Booth,” she said, lowering her voice and leaning close, “I'm not bisexual, and if you want a menage a trois, it's probably better to try a dating website than a gay dance. Now what did you want to show me?” Temperance started trying to see where Booth had come from, leaving him spluttering wordlessly.


End file.
